This document discusses managing conflict in multidisciplinary teams. It begins by defining different types of conflicts that can occur, such as conflicts of interest, controversies over ideas, and developmental conflicts within individuals. It then discusses various strategies for handling conflicts, such as withdrawing, forcing one's views, smoothing over differences, compromising, and confronting issues. Effective team members are likely to compromise or confront, while ineffective ones may withdraw or force their views. The document provides guidelines for confronting issues and negotiating resolutions, including separating people from problems, focusing on interests, and creating options. It warns of the risks of groupthink and provides strategies for avoiding overly uniform views within teams.

1. Managing Conflict in
Multidisciplinary Teams
Karl A. Smith
Purdue University/University of Minnesota
ksmith@umn.edu
Preparing and Supporting Students to Work
in Teams in STEM Disciplines
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
March 2009

2. Conflict

3. 3
Categorize and record the number of associations that fit in
each of the following categories:
Positive
Negative
Neutral
Calculate the portion of associations that are positive
(positive/(positive + negative + neutral))

4. Types of Conflict
Conflicts of Interest: Incompatible activities are based on
needs differences, scarcities of resources, and
competition for rewards.
Controversy: One person’s ideas, information,
conclusions, theories, and opinions are incompatible
with those of another.
Developmental Conflicts: Incompatible activities are
based on the opposing forces of stability and change
within a person.
Conceptual Conflicts: Incompatible ideas exist
simultaneously in a person’s mind.

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A conflict of interest exists when the
actions of one person attempting to
maximize his or her needs and benefits
prevent, block, interfere with, injure, or in
some way make less effective the actions
of another person attempting to maximize
his or her needs and benefits.
Deutsch, M. 1973. The resolution of conflict.
New Haven: Yale.

6. Blake & Mouton Conflict Model
Importance of the Goal
Importance of the Relationship

7. 7

8. Conflict Strategies
Withdrawing -Neither the goal nor the relationship are important
-you withdraw from the interaction.
Forcing -The task is important but not the relationship - use all
your energy to get the task done.
Smoothing -The relationship is more important than the task.
You want to be liked and accepted.
Compromising - Both task and relationship are important but
there is a lack of time - you both gain and lose something.
Confronting -Task and relationship are equally important. You
define the conflict as a problem-solving situation and resolve
through negotiation.

9. Which strategies do effective team
members use? Ineffective team
members?
Under what conditions are each of
these conflict strategies important?
What words and phrases are needed
to set up each strategy?

10. The work life of a project manager is a
life of conflict. Although conflict is not
necessarily bad, it is an issue that has
to be resolved by the project manager.
Without excellent negotiation skills, the
project manager has little chance for
success
Taylor, J. 1998. A survival guide for project
managers. AMACON.

11. 11
Escalation of Conflicts – Strategies for
Resolving
Informal Negotiation
Formal Negotiation
Mediation
Third-Party Mediation
Arbitration
Binding Arbitration
Litigation

12. Confrontation and Negotiation
A confrontation is the direct expression of one's view of
the conflict and one's feelings about it while inviting the
opposition to do the same. Suggested guidelines for
confrontation are:
1. Do not "hit-and-run": confront only when there is time to
jointly define the conflict and schedule a negotiating
session.
2. Openly communicate one's feelings about and
perceptions of the issues involved in the conflict, and try
to do so in minimally threatening ways.
3. Accurately and fully comprehend opponent's views of
the feelings about the conflict.
A successful confrontation sets up an opportunity to
negotiate.

13. Negotiating Guidelines
Fisher & Ury - Getting to Yes
Four Steps in Principled Negotiation
1. Separate the people from the problem
2. Focus on interests, not positions
3. Create options,
4. Insist on standards

14. Negotiation is a conflict resolution process by
which people who want to come to an
agreement, but disagree about the way to
resolve, try to work out a settlement.
Recommended steps in negotiating a conflict:
1.Confront the opposition.
2.Define the conflict mutually.
3.Communicate feelings and positions.
4.Communicate cooperative intentions.
5.Take the other person's perspective.
6.Coordinate the motivation to negotiate.
7.Reach an agreement that is satisfactory to both
sides.

15. Heuristics for dealing with conflicts:
1.Do not withdraw from or ignore the
conflict.
2.Do not engage in "win-lose"
negotiations.
3.Assess for smoothing.
4.Compromise when time is short.
5.Confront to begin problem-solving
negotiations.
6.Use your sense of humor.

16. 16
Groupthink
Groups without conflict where
there is a strong norm of
“Concurrence Seeking”
Groupthink Video – CRM
Films

17. Symptoms of Groupthink
Overestimation of the Group
Illusion of invulnerability
Belief in group morality
Closed Mindedness
Rationalization
Stereotyping Outgroups
Pressures Toward Uniformity
Self-censorship
Direct pressure
Mindguards
Illusion of unanimity

18. 18
Strategies for Avoiding
Groupthink
• Promote an open climate
• Avoid the isolation of the team
• Appoint critical evaluators
• Avoid being too directive